Method of making a torque converter assembly

ABSTRACT

A torque converter has an end cover or input shell which is stamped from a sheet metal plate and has a stiffening fluid portion and an outer flow formed annular rim. The impeller, turbine and stator are assembled along with a torque converter clutch after which the rim portion of the end cover is welded to the impeller. The impeller and the cover have a flange or radially extending portion that is selectively trimmed to control the dynamic balance of the assembly. The turbine member is cast with the outer core and blade portions integral and an inner core member is welded thereto. This is completed prior to assembly within the torque converter.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to torque converters, and more particularly, tothe manufacture of torque converters. Specifically, this inventionrelates to the manufacture of an end cover for a torque converter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Torque converter assemblies have an end cover which is welded to animpeller so as to close the torque converter assembly which is comprisedof the impeller, a turbine and a stator disposed in toroidal flowrelation, and a torque converter clutch which is disposed tofrictionally engage the end cover.

The end covers of the known torque converters are formed by stamping aflat sheet metal component into an end cover shape wherein a centralpilot is formed, a circulator strengthening rib area is formed, and theouter periphery is bent away from the pilot diameter to form an outerannular rim portion.

The lugs for connecting the torque converter to an engine are weldedonto the stamping, after which the lugs and the stamping are machined onboth sides. The dies for creating or manufacturing the stamping requirehigh level investment as well as a very long lead time for replacementparts. Thus, the tooling costs for the torque converter cover are quiteextensive.

The end cover is welded to the impeller or pump assembly to thereby forma pressure vessel for the torque converter. Currently, the cover iswelded to the impeller by using either electron beam welding, migwelding or most recently, laser welding. Each of these welding processeshas its own particular set of undesirable characteristics and all makeuse of a filler material in the form of welding wire which contributesto sediment within the transmission assembly. Mig welding is the slowestand least clean of the processes and adds a significant amount ofprocess time and sediment. Electron beam welding requires highmaintenance and capital investment welding equipment as does laserwelding.

When the cover has been welded to the impeller, it is then necessary toprovide for balancing the torque converter assembly. The three internalcomponents, that is, the impeller, turbine and stator, are dynamicallybalanced prior to being assembled within the pressure vessel. Afterfinal assembly, however, it becomes necessary to again dynamicallybalance the entire torque converter assembly. The dynamic balance of theassembly is accomplished by fixing the internal components at oneposition and determining the imbalance by rotating the assembly on aconventional balancing machine.

The internal components, that is, the turbine clutch assembly andstator, are rotated 180 degrees and another balance measurement istaken. These readings are added vectorially to determine the truebalance of the system and an appropriate weight is welded to theexterior of the cover. In theory, this yields an dynamically balancedtorque converter assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to improve upon the manufacture andbalancing of torque converters by providing a simplified manufacturingprocess for the end cover which is comprised of a simple blankingoperations which forms the circular rib area, a circular outer edge anda pilot diameter. The lugs are welded to the outer surface at the properlocation after which the inner and outer surfaces are machined flat. Aflow forming machine is utilized to form the annular outer rim which isdisposed for attachment to the torque converter impeller.

The pilot nose is welded to the cover after the spin forming operation.The reduces the cost and lead time of stamping dies, reduces the numberof processing steps for the cover assembly, and increases themanufacturing flexibility and reduces the capital investment associatedwith the cover manufacture.

The torque converter assembly closure welding is provided by a processof resistance seam welding. In this process, the outer surface of theoverlapping joint formed between the end cover and impeller is abuttedby a wheel which applies pressure and conducts electrical currentthrough the pieces to be welded. The weld is formed through the heatgenerated by the current and the pressure applied by the wheel. Thisweld is leak-free and requires no filler material to be utilized. Thus,a cleaner and more efficient welding process is provided.

This process has the advantage of operating at lower cost, has a lowercapital investment and reduces the sediment level of the final torqueconverter assembly. This process will permit flexibility of the welderto processing of different size converters.

The closure weld is accomplished inboard of the outer edge of theoverlapping member, be it the impeller or the cover. This leaves anannular portion which is outside of the pressure vessel and thereforecan be removed. To balance the torque converter, the conventional spinbalance procedure is followed to determine the amount of imbalance.After this is determined, the balancing is achieved by removing metalfrom the outer edge of the overlapping member. This eliminates the needto weld weights onto the converter thereby reducing assembly costs, andeliminates the possibility of further sediment being introduced into thesystem and also eliminates the problem of balance weights becomingdetached during operation.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improvedtorque converter assembly having a cover member which is stamped andflow formed to provide the proper shape for assembly to a torqueconverter impeller.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved torqueconverter assembly and cover wherein the cover member is stamped toprovide a stiffening rib portion and a flat clutch surface followed bywelding of the lug attachments for the engine which is then followed byspin forming an annular outer rim for attachment to the torque converterimpeller.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved torqueconverter assembly cover as set forth in the preceding objects, whereinthe pilot nose is welded to the end cover stamping following the spinforming operation.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will bemore apparent from the following description and drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A through 1F show the resulting cover structures of the formingoperations which are utilized.

FIGS. 2A and 2B depict the assembly of the torque converter turbine.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional elevational view of a torque converterassembly incorporating the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a torque converter assembly depictingthe balancing operation.

FIG. 5 is a view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1A shows a torque converter end cover stamping 10 which has a dishor rib portion 12 which is stamped outwardly from a flat plate portion14. A pilot opening 16 is formed in the end cover 10 by removal ofmetal.

Following the initial stamping step, the cover 10 has welded thereto aplurality of lugs 18, as seen in FIG. 1B. These lugs are welded at aposition which will permit assembly with a conventional engine interfacecomprised of a flexplate, not shown.

In FIG. 1C, the end cover 10 is further prepared for assembly with atorque converter by providing a smooth finish on an inner surface 20 andby flat grinding the outer surface 22 of the lugs 18. The finishedsurface 20 will provide a frictional engagement surface for a torqueconverter clutch, as will be described later.

In FIG. 1D, the process is continued to provide a threaded opening 24 inthe lug 18 which is utilized when connecting the torque converter to anengine.

In FIG. 1E, the process of manufacturing the torque converter end coveris continued by spin forming an outer annular portion or rim 26. In thespin forming or flow forming operation, as is well known, the innersurface at 28 is flow formed over a mandrel while the outer surface 30is engaged by a plurality of rollers which move axially relative to thecenter axis 32 of the end cover 10. The use of flow forming permits awell defined inner shape having a smooth surface, such that furthermachining of this surface is not required prior to assembly.

FIG. 1F depicts the final step in the assembly of the end cover in whicha pilot nose 34 is welded in the opening 16. The pilot nose 34 has afinished outer surface which will engage a bushing within the enginecrankshaft thereby aligning the centerline 32 of the end cover andtorque converter with an engine.

FIGS. 2A and 2B depict the assembly of the torque converter turbine 35.The turbine is comprised of two components. A bladed component 36 iscast with an integral outer shell 38 and a plurality of blades 40. Theblades 40 have an inner semitoroidal curved surface 42 which iscompliant with a semitoroidal inner core closure 44. The closure 44 iswelded to the surface 42 of the blades 40 to complete the torqueconverter blade assembly. Prior to installation within a torqueconverter, the turbine blade assembly has secured thereto a hub 46 whichhas a splined inner diameter 48. The splined inner diameter 48, as seenin FIG. 3, is drivingly connected to the torque converter output shaft50.

In FIG. 3, there is seen a torque converter assembly 52 comprised of theturbine assembly 35, an impeller assembly 54, a stator assembly 56, anda one-way brake assembly 58 drivingly connected with the stator 56. Theone-way brake assembly 58 is connected to a stationary shaft 60 which,in turn, is connected to a transmission housing, not shown, in a wellknown manner.

The torque converter assembly also includes a torque converter clutch 62which has an inner splined hub 64 drivingly connected to the hub 46 ofthe turbine assembly 35. The torque converter clutch assembly includes aconventional damper assembly 66 and a friction surface 68. The frictionsurface 68 is adapted to be engaged with the finished surface 20 of thecover 10.

To assemble the cover 10 to the impeller 54, the rim 26 of the cover 10is inserted within an annular rim 69, which is a portion of the impeller54. The rim 69 is welded to the rim 26 of the cover 10 by applyingpressure through a roller member 70 while simultaneously permittingelectrical current to flow from the roller 70 to a ground 72.

The roller 70 imposes a pressure on the juncture between the cover 10and the impeller 54 which is heated by current flowing from a voltagesource 74 attached to the roller 70 to the electrical ground 72 attachedto the impeller 54. The combined pressure and heat thus provided at thejuncture between the impeller 54 and cover 10 establishes a weld area 76which unites the materials of the cover 10 and impeller 54 sufficientlyto create a pressure vessel for the torque converter 52. The rim 69 hasan end wall 71 which abuts an end face 73 of the rim 26. The weldportion 76 is disposed adjacent the abutment of the end wall 71 and endface 73. Thus, a closure is provided which is fluid tight.

The annular rim 69 of the impeller 54 has a annular lip portion 78 whichextends outwardly from the weld portion 76. Thus, this material in thelip portion 78 is outside of the pressure vessel such that it can beutilized, as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, to provide for balancing of thetorque converter assembly.

As seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the lip portion 78 is engaged by a cutter 80,such as a mill cutter, to remove a portion of metal at 82 therebypermitting the dynamic balancing of the torque converter assembly 52. Itshould be appreciated that this provides a much cleaner and simplerstructure for balancing than was provided by the prior art, wherein apiece of metal would be welded to the outer surface of the rim 69 of thecover 10.

The torque converter assembly 52 is shown in FIG. 3 with the annular rim69 of the impeller 54 overlapping the outer surface of the rim 26 of thecover 10. However, this can be reversed, that is, the rim 26 can overlapthe outer surface of the annular rim 69. In this assembly, the excessmaterial to be removed during balancing would be taken from the endcover 10 rather from the impeller 54. Those skilled in the art willappreciate that it is of no significance which member overlaps duringthe assembly process.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A method of forming atorque converter end cover, comprising the steps of:forming an annularflat blank with material removed to provide a center pilot aperture;stamping annular stiffening ribs in said blank intermediate the pilotaperture and an outer periphery of the blank; securing attaching lugs tothe blank on a forward face thereof intermediate the ribs and the outerperiphery; forming a smooth clutch engaging surface annularly outwardlyof the stiffening ribs; and spin forming a portion of the blank adjacentthe outer periphery to an axially extending attachment surface.
 2. Amethod of forming a torque converter end cover, comprising the stepsof:forming an annular flat blank with material removed to provide acenter pilot aperture; stamping annular stiffening dish portion in saidblank intermediate the pilot aperture and an outer periphery of theblank; securing attaching lugs to the blank on a forward face thereofintermediate the ribs and the outer periphery; polishing a clutchengaging surface on an inner annular portion of the stamped blank; andspin forming a portion of the blank radially outward of the clutchengaging surface adjacent the outer periphery to an axially extendingattachment surface.